Whip-actuating device.



PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905 W. L. RAWLS. WHIP AGTUATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26,1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WZ/zkim L. Hawk.

Br I d A m Arrow/m M w W No. 806,291. 7 PATENTED DEG. 5, 1905..

W. L. R'AWLS.

38HBETS-SHEBT z.

Q /V//////////////A WIT/VESES: y VENTOR IN 14 2 2150? Z. Rawls.

A TTORNEVS- UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1905.

Application filed April 26, 1 905. Serialllo. 257,561.

To 11M whom it may concern.-

device-of this character of a simple and economical construction whereby the whip may be mechanically controlled either by hand or .foot power to swing the same downwardly against either animal of a team and to provide for an automatic return of the device to its normal position after the completion of the whipping action.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for mounting the device upon the vehicle and means for controlling the device from within the vehicle. Again, my invention seeks to provide means for attaching and operating my device on vehicles having either closed or open fronts. 4

My invention'also includes certain new and useful improvements on the type of whip-actuating devices disclosed in my Patents Nos. 781,458 and 781,459 of. January 31, 1905.

With other objects in view than have here- "toforebeen enumerated the invention also cifically pointed out in the appended claims,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of my invention, showing the same in use on open-front vehicles, such as buggies and runabouts. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, parts of the buggy being shown looking forward toward the dashboard. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a slightly-modified form of bracket device for securing the operating-levers hereinafter specifically referred to. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the base-plate 2.- Fig. 7 is a side elevation and part section showing a slightly-modified form of my invention. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a further modification hereinafter specifically referred to. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the form shown in Fig. 8. v

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 designates a'bracket having aclamping portion 1, se'curable to the vehicle-dashby set-screws or otherwise, and a vertical post 1', which has a square collar portion 1 to receive a base-plate 2, whose square aperture 2 fits the square collar portion 1, thus holding the plate 2 from turning on the post 1. v

l designates a small threaded washer adapted to be screwed on the threaded stem 1 of the bracket 1 and over the base-plate 2 to secure the same on the bracket.

The threaded stem 1 of the bracket 1 extends through an aperture 3* in the U-shaped 3, as shown.

4 designates a shaft journaled in hearings in the arms 3 3 to which shaft the whipsocket 5 is secured. Thesocket 5 turns with the shaft 4 in a manner presently understood. Near one end the shaft 4 carries a pinion or gear 6, which cooperates with a "second pinion or gear 7 on a second shaft 8, which is journaled in hearings in the arms 3" below the shaft 4 and which passes through the arms 3 3 and carries a pair of cranks 8 8, one at each end, as shown.

' 9 designates a coil-spring on the shaft4, which has one end secured to the shaft 4 and which has its other end secured to the arm 3*, wherebythe parts are held in their normal position with the whip-socket 5 held vertically to maintain the whip 10 in the vertical position normally.

11 and 12 designate a pair of L-shaped vertical levers, which are pivoted at 11 and 12, respectively, to a bracket 13, which is secured tothe vehicle-body, and the said levers 11 12 have their short arms 11 and 12 respectively, formed with foot or treadle portions 1112", respectively, while their longer arms 11 and 12, respectively, have elongated aptures or slots l1 and 12 respectively, to receive the ends of the cranks 8 8, keys, stops, or nuts 9 9 being provided to cooperate with the cranks 8 8 to hold the levers in proper connection therewith.

Surrounding the Washer-nut l and having spring 16, which serves to normally hold the frame 3 in proper position relatively to the vehicle and the base-plate 2.

The base-plate 2 is formed with a plurality of apertures 2 2 to receive the pins or screws 14 1 1, forming adjustable stops, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The pinion or gear 7 is provided with a plurality of pin-receiving apertures 7 7 to receive a stop-pin 7 and by inserting the pin 7 in one or the other of the apertures 7 7 the strike of the whip can be limited, as desired, the pin 7 b engaging with the adjacent arm 3 of the frame 3 at the desired limit of movement of the pinion 7.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a slightly-modified form of my invention in which the invention is shown as applied to and operating in connection with a closed-front vehicle, and when my invention is so used the levers 11 and 12 instead of being directly connected to the cranks 8 8 are connected thereto through the rods 15, which pass through the vehiole-front.

Instead of securing the levers 11 and 12 to a single bracket 18 the same may be secured to separate brackets 13 and 13,as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and instead of securing the brackets 13 or 13 to the floor of the vehicle they may be secured to the vehicle-dash at any point desired whenever it may be found convenient to do so.

So far as described the manner in which my invention operates will be best explained as follows: Any suitable whip is fitted into the whip-socket and held therein by any approved means. If it is desired to whip the right-hand animal ofthe team, the driver presses his foot upon the treadle or foot-piece of the lever 12, thereby swinging the outer end of the lever 1.2 inwardly, the initial movement of which turns the frame 8 to the right upon its fulcrum until arrested by one of the stops 14, adjustably held upon the base-plate 2, as before described. At the completion of the turning movement of the frame 3 the further movement of the lever 12 swings the adjacent crank 8 rearwardly and downwardly, thereby throwing the whip-socket and the whip forwardlyand downwardly to strike the desired animal. Upon removing the foot from the treadle or foot-piece of the lever 12 the spring 9 automatically returns the whip-socket and the levers to their normal positions, while the spring 16 automatically returns the frame 3 to its normal position. To enable the frame 8 to turn on its fulcrum properly, the slots in the ends of the levers 11 and 12 are made sufficiently wide to allow free movement of the ends of the cranks 8 8.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a slightlymodified form of my invention in which the shaft 4, which carries the whip-socket, is provided at its ends with pinions 17 17, which mesh with rack portions 18 18 on the arm 19,

which is attached to the base-plate 2 by a screw or bolt, 20, as shown. In this form the levers 11 and 12 receive the ends of the shaft 4, and in this form the coil-spring 9 for returning the whip-socket to its normal position extends upwardly, as at 9, to embrace a portion of the socket, as shown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation, and many advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the class described comprising an attaching-bracket, an upstanding U- shaped frame carried by the bracket, a rockshaft mounted within the frame, a spring to yieldingly maintain the shaft in its normal position, said spring having a whip-clamping portion for engaging the whip for holding it in its socket a whip-socket carried by the shaft, a stationary cross-bar carried by the frame above the rock-shaft and against which the whip-socket normally engages, and controlling means connected to the shaft to initially shift the frame upon its axis and swing the whip-socket downwardly and forwardly substantially as shown and described.

2. A device of the class described, comprising an attaching-bracket, an upstanding U- shaped frame carried by the bracket, a rockshaft mounted within the frame, a spring to yieldingly maintain the shaft in its normal position, said spring having a whip-clamping portion for engaging the whip for holding it in its socket a whip-socket carried by said shaft, a stationary cross-bar carried by the frame above the rock-shaft and against which the whip-socket normally engages, and controlling means connected to the shaft to initially shift the frame upon its axis and then to rotate the shaft and swing the whip-socket downwardly and forwardly, said controlling means comprising an L-shaped lever and connections between said L-shaped lever and said shaft substantially as shown and described.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a frame, a swinging whip-socket carried within the frame, aspring to yieldingly maintain the whip-socket in its normal position, a cross-bar carried by the frame in the path of the backward movement of the whip-socket to form a stop therefor, a shaft mounted in said frame and cooperatively connected with said whip-socket, cranks at each end of said shaft, said frame being mounted to turn on a vertical axis, L-shaped levers having a long and short arm, said L-shaped levers being fulcrumed below said frame and having their long arms slotted to receive the crank ends, a balance-spring for maintaining the frame in its normal position, said levers and said frame being arranged so that when one of said levers is depressed the frame will be turned on its vertical axis and the whip-socket swung'downwardly and forwardly substantially as shown and described.

4. In a device of the character stated, a bracket securable to the vehicle, a base-plate immovably secured to said bracket, said bracket having a stem projecting through said base-plate, a frame pivotally mounted on said stem for movement on a vertical axis, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, cranks secured to the ends of said shaft, L-shaped levers each consisting of a long and a short arm, said levers being fulcrumed at a point below said bracket, said levers each having its long arm slotted to receive the crank ends, said levers each having a treadle or foot portion by means of which said levers are moved, a whip-socket pivotally mounted in said frame and cooperatively connected with said shaft, said frame, said shaft and said levers being arranged so that when the levers are operated they initially turn said frame on its axis and on further movement of said levers, the whipsocket will be turned on its axis, and means for returning the parts to their normal position when the levers are released substantially as shown and described.

5. A device of the class described, comprising an attaching-bracket, a base-plate secured thereto, a U-shaped upstanding frame carried by the bracket above the base-plate, adjustable stops secured to the base-plate for cooperating with said upstanding frame, a balance-spring connected with said upstanding frame and said. base-plate to hold the frame in its normal vpositionga rock-shaft mounted within the frame, anupstanding whip-socket carried by the rock-shaft intermediate of its ends, a stationary crossbar carried by the arm above the shaft and against which the whip-socket normally engages, a spring coiled about one end portion of the shaft and connected at the opposite ends to the shaft and to the arm to yieldingly maintain the whip-socket against the cross-bar, a supplemental rockshaft mounted in said frame below said firstmentioned shaft, gear connections between both of said shafts, means for limiting the turning movement of said second shaft, means connected with said second shaft to initially shift the upstanding frame upon its axis and for rotating the second shaft to rotate the first shaft and swing the whip-socket downwardly and forwardly, substantially as shown and described.

6. A device of the class described, comprising an attaching-bracket, a base-plate secured thereto, a U-shaped upstanding frame carried by the bracket above the base-plate, adjustable stops secured to the base-plate for cooperating with said upstanding frame, a balance-spring connected with said upstanding frame. and said base-plate to hold the frame within the frame, an upstanding whip-socket carried by the rock-shaft intermediate of its ends, a stationary cross-bar carried by the frame above the shaft and against which the whip-socket normally engages, a spring coiled about one end portion of the shaft and connected at the opposite ends to the shaft and to the frame to yieldingly maintain the whipsocket against the cross-bar, a supplemental rock-shaft mounted in said'frame below said first-mentioned shaft, gear vconnections between both of said shafts, means for limiting the turning movement 'of said second shaft, cranks connected to the ends of said second shaft, a pair of vertical L-shaped levers connected one to each crank, a bracket on which said L-shaped levers are fulcrumed, said L- shaped levers being arranged to initially shift the upstanding frame upon its axis and then rotate said second shaft to swing the-whipsocket downwardly and forwardly substantially as shown and described.

7 A device of the class described comprising an attaching-bracket, adapted to be secured to a vehicle, set-screws for securing said bracket to said vehicle, said attaching-bracket having a squared collar portion, a base-plate having a squared aperture to receive said squared collar portion of the bracket, said bracket having a threaded projecting stem, a washer-nut adapted to screw on said threaded stem to secure the base-plate to the bracket, an upstanding U-shaped frame pivotally secured to said projecting stem of the bracket, adjustable stops carried by the base-plate for cooperating with the said upstanding frame, a shaft rockably mounted in said upstanding frame, a coil-spring carried by said shaft for T holding the same in its normal position, a whip-socket secured to said shaft, a pinion secured to said shaft. asecond rock-shaftmounted in said upstanding frame below said firstmentioned shaft, a gear or pinion on said second shaft meshing with the pinion on the first shaft, adjustable stops carried by said lastnamed gear or pinion for limiting the rotary movement of said second shaft, cranks secured to the ends of said second shaft, L-

shaped levers, means for connecting said L- ingly maintain the shaft in its normal position and bent to form a whip-clamping portion, a whip-socket carried by the shaft, controlling means connected to the shaft to initially shift the frame upon its axis and then swing the whip-socket downwardly and forwardly, said controlling means including vertical L-shaped levers connected with said said shaft, said levers being arranged when operated to initially shift the frame upon its axis and then bring one of said pinions in engagement with its respective rack portion to turn the shaft and swing the whip-socket downwardly and forwardly, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a whip-actuating device, a rotatable frame, a power-shaft and a whip-actuating shaft supported therein, a whip-socket secured to said whip-actuating shaft, L-shaped levers having a vertical and a horizontal portion,

said L-shaped levers having foot-pieces or treadles formed on the horizontal portion thereof, said L-shaped levers being connected to said power-shaft to initially turn the rotatableframe on its axis and upon further movement to turn the power-shaft, means operatively connecting said power-shaft to said whip-actuating shaft, and a coil-spring on said whip-actuating shaft for returning the parts to their normal position, said coil-springhaving a portion forming a clamp for engaging the whip to hold the same in its socket, substantially as shown and described.

11. In a whip-actuating device, the combination with a rotatable shaft, a whip-socket thereon, and means for rotating said shaft, of a coil-spring on said shaft for returning the shaft to its normal position, said coil-spring having a clamping portion for engaging the whip to hold it in its socket, substantially as shown and described.

\VM. L. RA\VLS.

Vitnesses:

C. J. MONTGOMERY, ERNEST Pos'roN. 

